Govt denies Sinha’s phone tapping charges

The government on Saturday dismissed the allegations of BJP leader Yashwant Sinha that his telephones and those of his family were tapped, saying it was “totally incorrect”.

“We have never tapped telephones of Sinha or his family members. This is absolutely wrong and totally incorrect,” Union Home Secretary R K Singh said.

“There is no question of telephones of Sinha or his family members being tapped. No such proposal has ever come to me,” he said.

Union Home Secretary is the designated authority whose permission is required for tapping telephone of any individual. He issues order for interceptions of telephone on the basis of requests and justification given by security agencies.

Yesterday in Ranchi, Mr Sinha had alleged his telephones and those of his family were tapped after he raised the Aircel-Maxis issue against then Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Dubbing it as a pressure tactic, Mr Sinha had said, “This shows the Congress vindictiveness but BJP will not succumb to such pressure or threats.”